DLTK's Holiday Crafts for Kids
Summer Lacing Crafts
Lacing projects are a great craft for preschoolers and kindergarten
children to complete during any holiday. The lacing gives them
fine motor skill practice and practice tying knots and bows
(shoelaces!) The large blank area in the center gives the kids the
chance to 'get creative' by further decorating with paper cutouts,
stickers or crayons.
There are a few different templates to choose from.
Materials:
- wool or ribbon,
- single hole punch,
- scissors,
- pencil,
- card stock, poster board or construction paper
Instructions:
- ADULT: print template of choice or make your own.
- ADULT: Trace onto a thick piece of cardboard (cardboard backs from paper pads or old boxes work well).
- ADULT: Cut out this template.
- Allow the children to trace the template onto a piece of card stock or
poster board (or construction paper... Though I prefer the thicker card
stock for lacing projects).
OR have an adult do this prior to craft time. - Allow the children to cut out their card stock shapes
OR have an adult do this prior to craft time. - Allow the children to make holes around their shape (about an inch or two
apart)
OR have an adult do this prior to craft time. - Provide the children with a length of wool or ribbon.
- You can wrap some scotch tape around the end of the wool to make it more like a shoe lace.
- Have the child thread the wool through the holes.
- children can use different 'stitches' to complete their lacing project (simple running stitch, X stitch, blanket stitch, etc). If you want to 'inspire' the kids, provide a number of examples for them and have them up at the front of the room.
- Practice tying knots and/or bows to connect additional pieces of wool or to tie off at the end of the lacing.
- Let the children use stickers, stamps, die cuts, or markers and their imagination to decorate their completed project.
- Alternative: instead of lacing just one shape, lace together two shapes. Leave the top open and you'll be able to stick things inside when you're done!
Craft Templates:
- Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
- Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers)..
Specific Instructions PLUS Templates:
Flower: lace with a running stitch in a
circle around the center of the flower. Tie a bow at the
bottom. Green wool or ribbon would be nice. You can color
the outside of the flower and draw a face in the middle if you
like.
You could also lace around the outside of the flower instead of or as well as the center, using any color you like (red, blue, pink, purple, etc). A blanket stitch would be nice for this..
Flower Template
Strawberry: lace with a running stitch or a
blanket stitch around the edge of the strawberry, skipping the
stem. This is a perfect template for lacing two together to make a
'pouch' that you can slip summertime poems, drawings, sayings, etc
into.
For a more advanced project, trace the template onto red or pink fun foam twice. Use green felt or paint to add a stem. Lace the fun foam together to make a purse. Make a purse strap from a long piece of wool or ribbon that you can braid and/or add beads to.
Strawberry Template
Sunshine: lace with a running stitch in a
circle around the center of the sunshine. Tie a bow at the
bottom. Yellow, gold or orange wool or ribbon would be nice.
You can draw "Mr. Sun" a face if you like.
Sunshine Template
Printable version of these instructions